


Static

by DeckofDragons



Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2020 [7]
Category: Mario & Luigi RPG (Video Games), Super Mario Bros. (Video Games)
Genre: Burnout - Freeform, M/M, but I ship it so I'm tagging the ship, is technically platonic and thus can be read that way, seasonal depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:40:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28190097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: Fawful's doing his best but it's hard this time of year.
Relationships: Fawful & Midbus, Fawful/Midbus
Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055924
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Static

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't my first time writing Fawful (that fic's not done yet, I still plan on finishing it though even if I had to put it on hold for the holidays) but it is my second time. I don't really know how well I did his dialogue but I did my best. It is my first time writing Midbus though, I don't know how well I did with him either.

The plan was very near being ready to be set into motion at last. Just a few more things needed to be done or tweaked to perfection and Fawful would be set to be conquer the Mushroom Kingdom sometime early in the new year. The power of the Dark Star would be his and no one would ever be able to thwart his ambitions and knock him down ever again.

But despite how close he was, he just sat at his desk, staring at the papers strewn across it. The most pressing matter somewhere on that desk was the formula for the blorb shrooms; in their testing they’d found it wore off after about a week and that simply would not do, he needed to go over it, alter it and try again. But his brain was filled with loud static as if from a broken television that refused to turn all the way off, drowning out any attempt to read and make sense of the words he’d written on the pages. So he just sat there, hating them and himself and the bitter cold that had taken over the whole hideout.

This time of year was the worst. It was miserably cold and everyone was always so cheery except for him. Even Cackletta had loved this time of year even if she’d never admitted it. She’d used to play Xmas music in her private room that had bordered his lab in their old hideout, thinking no one could hear it through the door or wall despite how thin it was. Fawful had never bothered to correct that notion in part because it hadn’t been so bad, it had maybe been kind of nice at times. Those days were long gone now though in more ways than one but that somehow never seemed to stop him from thinking about it every year since then. It was just one more reason to hate this time of year.

A knock sounded from the door, drawing his gaze off his desk at last. Midbus didn’t wait for a reply before stepping into the room.

“Uh… merry Xmas I guess,” he said in an almost offhand tone. “I know you probably weren’t expecting anything but I got you something anyway.” He strode forward to place a plain unwrapped box on Fawful’s desk.

“Why?” Fawful asked, not reaching for it yet.

Midbus shrugged as if it didn’t much matter to him. “You’ve been a good boss so far so I figured why not?” Well, that was good to hear at least. Being a ‘good boss’ lessened the chances of Midbus possibly wanting to betray him if a potentially better offer were ever presented to him.

Trying not to show how little emotional energy he had right now, Fawful pulled the box closer and took off the lid to pull out what was inside. A cloak; similar to his old one that as now in rags except its collar was folded down instead of spread up. It was clearly made of quality material as it was quite soft, both on the inside and outside.

“I figured it might keep you warm and it was like that other red cloak you got so I thought you might like it,” Midbus said. “But anyway, I got a fire going in the front room and I’m watching some dumb Xmas movies while drinking some eggnog if you want to join me.” Without waiting for a ‘thank you’ or reply of any sort, he turned and left again, pulling the door closed behind him.

Fawful stared after him for several seconds before pushing his chair away from his desk to stand up. He took off the old cloak to pull on the new one. Immediately it was both warmer and made him feel a tad more confident. He was going to be Lord Fawful, ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom in a matter of months, it was about time he start looking the part.

He looked down at the papers on the desk again. Broken partially out of his mental funk, he should really get back to work but… he gritted his teeth and turned away to leave. He wasn’t getting anything done right now, sitting down to try again would likely only put his mind back into static mode. So, he’d take a short break and get back to it soon.

“Fawful thanks you for the gift,” he said as he strode into the front room a short time later. “And be wishing you a merry Xmas as well.” He hadn’t even thought to get Midbus anything and it was too late now.

“You’re welcome and thanks,” Midbus said with a grunt. He’d made the fire on the floor, using large stones and bricks to contain it. He sat on a stool next to it, a pile of firewood close at hand to fuel it. He’d set up the small TV on the coffee table in front of him. “Come join me in making fun of these dumb movies.” He patted the stool next to him. “I’ll pour you a glass of eggnog.”

Too anxious to sleep but far too drained to work, Fawful didn’t exactly have anything better to do so he walked over and sat down, accepting the glass when Midbus handed it to him. He’d get through this mental fog eventually, he always did, and on the other side he’d be more ready to get back to fulfilling his ambitions. But for now, he just had to do his best to get through it, a distraction from it should help and was therefore quite welcome.


End file.
